San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-09-14
A Dangerous Game,
DY THE AUTHOR OF my DEAREST HEART"

You bring shame and agony to Alnis and
Hilda, and, as for him"
"Be silent! For pity, be silentl You do
not know. ! am at the mercy of another,
and he is meTcileSs."
And what can Crawford Carden-despic-
able scOundrel as he is-dO that his name
should be more powerful TO you than Mar
tin PomerOy's? | know you married with
out love for your husband; but you are his
wife none the less, and will be as long as
you and he shall live"
NO. am going TO set him Free" she
said, in whisper.
And how? By covering his name and
your sisters with shamel GwendOline, you
shall not do this fearful thing. You are and
must still be his wife in the eyes Of Heaven.
You are not so dead to your own self-respect
rs to lose that Of The world at once and for
ever, TO throw away earth's best and sweet
est happiness, and risk your very hopes of
heaven. You are mad to speak of, 10 dream
of this terrible SIM
perhaps l am mad" she answered duly.
"But must go. Don't NEEDLE with me; 1t
is of no USE"
"Of no usep l cried. "0f no use to keep
you till you are sane, TO prevent you from
running your life? | swear will not leave
you, GwendOlinep'
She tried to shake me off with frantic
force; but chung the tighter to her hand.
81 will, must go! He is waiting. 1 will
not be kept in this way. l am not child
to be treated like thisp' she gasped broken
ly. Viola you do not understand, you do
not know. l cannot draw back, dare not
it is too later
Answer me one question, Gwendoline.
Do you love Crawford CardenY'
Love him r'-and there was an intensity
of hatred and loathing in her voice. II de-
test him! The thought that am going to
cheat him, to be revenged on him, is the
sweetest thought haver'
"And for this you will blight the lives Of
all who love yOu-fOr one who Is cruel and
crafty, and knows not the meaning of hon
esty or honorT'
"Ah, am not so vile as you think, Viola!
l am going with him but, once away, shall
escape from him and go my own course, and
leave him to do what he may. shall be
out Of his power then; now am In 1t. Once
more, Viola, let me go, or must make
your
'Once more, Gwendoline, l will notl I
appeal to every instinct of right and good
ness In you, appeal
'They have told you nothing of me-" she
interrupted. ''Do you know aught Of my
life, Viola? Did they tell you how l have
beer treated all my life-how | was put up
by my aunt to be sold to the highest bidder
in the marriage-market, and, when they
fancied loved Guy Eastwood, who fell In
love with me, how they lied and burned his
letters to separate us, and half forced me
into marriage with Martin PomeroyP You
mean well, child; you have been the only
friend remember to have had all my life,
and you have been my friend in spite Of my
self; but you cannot understand such life
as mine"
remembered the name of Guy Dash
wood it was he whom Lucy had mention
ed as the artist who painted the portrait Of
beautiful Miss Farquhar.
Did you love Mr.. DashwOod?" said.
"If had loved him, should have be-
lieved nothing against him. No; l did not
know then what love was. If | had cared
for him, IwOuld never have married as l
did; it was because did not know what
love meant that they cheated me. And aft
er was married, learned their treachery,
and said to myself that | would avenge it;
and this is the last act, ViOlal My hus-
band accused me of flirting. Why should
not? | said; and went on. refused to go
to India with him, and he sent NE here as a
prisoner. | Outwitted my gaOlcrs; never
believed in Crawford Gardens declarations;
but let him 90 on because was Outwtting
my uncle and Iliida and you, and because 1
had been suspected unjuStly."
And to live up to suspicious will you
dare to commit a crime against Heaven-be
false to yourself to play into the hands of
vilain?"
Hear me out" she cried, "since you have
interfered with me, ! never thought TO con-
fess: but you have forced it from me. After
you came here, there was always some one
you or anOther-near to prevent me from
seeing him; but | could use my pen. In my
exultatiOn at deceiving my warders, acted
as fool Now there is nothing left for me
but this"
''Do you mean that he has letters of
yOurs?" | said slowly.
"He has letters-fOur letterS-and those
letters will be given to my husband If
draw back now. Do you think will stay
to meet my husband knowing thisP would
rather fling myself into the Lakeland
would do 1t but to be revenged on Card mr.
And what Is to be your husbands greet
ing on his return homeP
''Do you doubt that he will be glad to be
rid of me? He will get divorce. Do you
doubt that he will avail himself of itp No;
he may win then-I pray Heaven he may!-
a good and true wife, think might once
have been one-and forget me. He will
soon forget me-"
She was sObbing and trembling from head
to foot. was glad to see her so. knew
the victory was won.
"GwendOline," answered gently, taking
both her hands in mine-and she did not re-
sist me now-'you love your husband"
Heaven help me-" she cried, II do"
ella In-r,nrr